Speaking of the Izze beverage, you may have noticed that stores are now carrying new flavors, and the label says “Izze-esque” rather than Izze. Be aware that this represents a major step down in quality and health.

If you are like me, and chose Izze because it used “No refined sugar, no caffeine, no artificial anything, ever…just natural fruit juice with a splash of sparkling water” (as their promotional materials say) you’ll want to avoid the new Izze-esque flavors.

The new “esque” flavors have an ingredient that Izze was once respected for avoiding: High fructose corn syrup. The ingredient that allegedly caused the worldwide epidemic of diabetes when it was introduced into sodas a few decades ago has now made its way into this Izze offshoot. It is disguised on the label under the less recognizable name “Crystalline Fructose”. (Wikipedia notes “Crystalline fructose is produced by allowing the fructose to crystallize from a fructose-enriched corn syrup”).